Since the climax of this regular season, the Stanley Cup rematch in Boston, the Canucks have clearly taken the foot off the gas and hit cruise control. And while they likely don’t deserve it, they find themselves on quite a run, running up a 10-2-3 record (a nifty .767 winning percentage). At this rate, they have put themselves in easy striking distance of the top seed in the conference and, perhaps, another President’s Trophy.

But how have they done it? In this 15 game run, they’ve been out shot almost every night (10 of 15 times). And overall, they’ve had 5 less shots per game than the opposition.

Factoring out empty net and shootout goals the team has scored a paltry 38 goals in those 15 games which barely eclipses the rate of the opposition at 35.

This is due in part to their once feared power play, which is struggling mightily. Not only are they struggling to score (13% efficiency rate compared to 24% for the rest of the season), but they are struggling to even earn the opportunities (drawing just 2.5 penalties per game in this stretch compared to 4 per game for the rest of the season).

Earning power plays is often a simple function of working hard. And that, considering also the wide shot on goal differential, would seem to be the case here. They are not working hard. Only simply hard enough.

That is, only hard as they need to in respect of their sublime goaltending and the NHL’s nonsensical point allocation system for regulation game ties.

During this run, the Canuck keepers (most notably Roberto Luongo, who has started 12 of 15) have outperformed their counterparts at the other end of the rink almost every night. On a save percentage basis, they’ve outdueled the opposition netminder 11 times in 15 games. Luongo, in particular, has amassed an unbeatable .935 save percentage during this time.

But it’s also the Canucks’ sudden brilliance in overtime and, to a greater extent, the shootout that is carrying them right now. And while you can’t blame the Canucks for the gimmicky methods the NHL employs to allocate points (to both winners and losers of regulation ties), come playoff time that all goes out the window.

If the NHL kept its math like it used to, the Canucks` 10-2-3 run would instead look like 3-2-10 (barely a .500 record). So which record is a better barometer of the Canucks’ play in recent weeks? Don’t ask Gary Bettman.

And don’t ask any of the Canucks’ brass either since there’s no arguing with success. But during this recent run, only a small handful of players have played at a level that will be adequate come playoff time.

David Booth, seemingly fearless despite his recent injury, has amassed an impressive 10 points in 12 games since returning and is making his GM look good.

Fresh from his all-star outing, Alex Edler has also been a large factor in the Canucks’ recent unlikely success, notching 10 points in the 15 game run as well as emerging as a shootout threat.

At five on five play, Henrik Sedin and Cody Hodgson lead the team with 7 points in 15 games, indicating how much Hank is struggling and how much respect Cody Hodgson is not getting. Hodgson has earned this distinction despite playing 7 or 8 minutes less per night than Henrik or Ryan Kesler and with little power play time. Stated otherwise, his 5 on 5 point scoring rate is nearly double that of either of those players. And we’re not even going to mention how many shootout goals he’s scored this season.

But, most nights, he still finds himself in the dogbox of Alain Vigneault. In recent games, he’s been between AHL grinder Mike Duco and extreme agitator Maxim Lapierre. Yes, the synergies of those two combined with the thoughtful play of Hodgson are unlimited. Good lord. Oh yeah, the one-dimensional-recovering-from-a-serious eye-injury Manny Malhotra has more ice time this season than the NHL rookie-of-the-year candidate Hodgson.

It is tough to tell what Hodgson’s role is on this team in the short term. If he were to be trade deadline bait, you might think GM Mike Gillis might insist he play more to inflate his value. If he stays (which we think he will), come playoff time, it’s hard to see how he’ll respond to a checking role that is usually required for a third or fourth line spot. But not playing him more in an offensive role could hurt the Canucks’ chances. Perhaps a spot on the second line is where he really needs to be? A contemplation for another day.

In the end, we’re used to the Canucks playing poorly at this time of the season. Throughout their 41 years, the February swoon has been damn predicable. Of course, these days are different. In this era, the Canucks are simply good enough to succeed without playing to their potential. And as much as that’s a good (if not different) thing, they must be able to elevate their game when it really matters.

We can only imagine after a pedal-to-the-metal recording breaking regular season was met with Stanley Cup Final heartbreak that this team is simply saving it for later. And right now, it seems like a good strategy. As always, time will tell.

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